Overview

Energy providers around the globe are operating in a whole new world. Everything and everyone is increasingly connected. Energy consumers are embracing innovative technologies and taking on new roles as both buyers and sellers of energy. At the same time, a host of threats are challenging utilities to become more innovative and agile.

In The New Energy Consumer: Unleashing Business Value in a Digital World, Accenture shares the latest results of our multiyear New Energy Consumer research program. Our findings and analysis point to important shifts and highlight growing opportunities for forward-thinking energy providers.

Analysis

Energy providers should apply a digital lens—identifying ways in which digital can help drive profitable growth, reduce costs and improve customer experiences.

Digital tools, systems, capabilities and skills will be critical to enabling success in the years ahead. Energy providers must consider how the tectonic shifts and market forces will impact six key strategic imperatives.

Innovate at speed - Fuel growth and realize greater long-term value by seizing new opportunities, empowering consumers as marketers and co-creators for the rapid development and launch of new products and services.

Methodology

About the New Energy Consumer research program

Accenture undertook the multi-year New Energy Consumer research program to help gas, electricity and water utilities understand emerging consumer needs and preferences, to identify new challenges and opportunities, and to bring focus to the critical competencies required to succeed in the evolving energy marketplace.

Collecting consumer insights from interviews with more than 60,000 end consumers around the world, the initiative has explored a wide range of topics.